UAB in the News

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  Recent farm tragedy sparks outcry

  The outpouring of sympathy from readers was expected; the outrage over the incident was understandable, especially considering the age of the farm machinery operator involved in the May 15 incident.
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  UAB spinoff scores key European patent in cancer fight

  A novel approach to fighting cancer being developed in Birmingham that is in a preclinical phase has received a European patent. The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Emory University and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta have partnered to create biopharmaceutical company Incysus Ltd.
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  Benefits of medical marijuana for treatment of epilepsy examined

  Although cannabis had been used for many centuries for treatment of seizure disorders, medical use became prohibited in the 20th century. However, with the loosening of laws regarding medical marijuana, research and clinical use of marijuana-derived substances are increasing.
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  Study Finds 25% of Patients with AMD Remain Undiagnosed After Dilated Eye Exam

  Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible vision loss in older people in the United States. AMD affects 14 million U.S. adults, and this number will increase as the "baby boomer" generation ages.
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  Forbes lists UAB among America’s best large employers

  “This recognition is important because it shows we’re doing the right things to make their time as employees rewarding, and we will continue to work earnestly with our faculty and staff to enhance their experience." said UAB President Ray Watts.
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  Timing of your meals important to weight loss

  A study by Courtney Peterson, assistant professor of nutrition sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, showed that people who finished eating by early afternoon burned more fat and had fewer bouts of hunger.
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  Extreme preterm infant death or disease may be predicted by biomarker

  Tests of cells collected from the umbilical cord blood vessel walls at birth can predict death or poor pulmonary outcomes in extremely preterm infants, say researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
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  One of Birmingham's most influential medical leaders retiring

  Dr. Edward E. Partridge, who has served as the director of the University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center since 2007, will be retiring from the position at the end of July. UAB is conducting a national search to find his successor.
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  CONCERT REVIEW | Itzhak Perlman, violinist

  He appeared at ASC’s first gala fundraiser in 1999, returned in 2007, and was again was in the spotlight Sunday for the 2017 Viva Health Starlight Gala.
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  UAB professor receives $1.5 million grant to explore links between circadian fluctuations and glaucoma

  "This circadian fluctuation is now known as a risk factor for the progression of glaucoma. What we need to now answer is 'why is this circadian fluctuation happening?' Once we understand why circadian rhythm is a risk factor, we can begin to develop targeted treatments."
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  New UAB partnership will aid patients with rare or advanced cancers

  The partnership with Strata Oncology will provide patients with advanced or rare cancers with tumor profiling or sequencing at no cost aside from their typical co-pays. Average tumor profiling ordinarily costs $4,000 per test.
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  Forbes names UAB, 3 Alabama-based companies among best employers in America

  Forbes recently named the University of Alabama at Birmingham No. 69 on its list of the best 75 large employers in the United States.
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  Bank gives two large gifts to UAB

  The banking giant, through $250,000 donation, will establish the Wells Fargo Scholars Program to support five students each year. The second gift, a $150,000 grant, will help support the construction of the UAB Football Operations Center over three years.
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  UAB again ranks high in NIH funding, receiving more than $238 million

  The University of Alabama at Birmingham ranked 25th nationally in 2016 funding from the National Institutes of Health, according to data obtained from the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research. Grants to UAB’s six health- and medical-related schools totaled more than $238 million last year.
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  One great fiddle player, money talk, a cool art show

  Acclaimed violinist Itzhak Perlman will perform at the Viva Health Starlight Gala at the Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center on Sunday, May 21, culminating the center's 20th anniversary season.
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  Itzhak Perlman Returns to Birmingham

  Israeli-born violinist Itzhak Perlman has performed with every major orchestra and in recitals and festivals around the world. Sunday evening, Perlman performs at UAB’s Alys Stephens Center.
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  New Adolescent Obesity Indicator More Accurate Than BMI

  Diagnosing, treating and tracking the prevalence of children and adolescents with obesity is a high public health priority but the body mass index calculations that physicians have been relying on for decades may not be accurate for assessing body fat in adolescents between the ages of 8 and 17.
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  UAB / Lakeshore Research Collaborative awarded $5.8M for MS research

  The grant will help fund a study to determine whether people with multiple sclerosis get as much benefit from an exercise-based rehabilitation program delivered via internet and telephone as they do when the therapy is provided in a clinic.
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  Tickets for Alys Stephens Center 2017-2018 season go on sale Wednesday

  Have you checked out this season’s lineup for UAB’s Alys Stephens Center? It’s a stellar mix of music, dance and more. Tickets for all new shows go on sale to the general public starting May 17!
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  Could There Be a Better Way to Estimate Body Fat Levels in Children, Adolescents?

  The article by Courtney M. Peterson, Ph.D., of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and coauthors suggests it may be worth considering replacing BMI z scores with TMI to screen for obesity and overweight status in children and adolescents.
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  How Lakeshore Foundation and UAB are working to reduce a common, costly 911 challenge

  Every time a Birmingham paramedic team goes on a basic call it costs at least $350, and often those calls simply involve having someone take their medicine or helping them up because they were dizzy and fell.
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  Friday Feedback: Pre-Existing Conditions and Healthcare Reform

  One argument against the ACA mandate is that it essentially forces people who don't smoke, don't abuse drugs or alcohol, and aren't overweight to pay for other people's lifestyle-associated illnesses.
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  Fidget spinners—tool or toy?

  "For students, it gives them something to channel their energy. It can increase their executive functioning and their working memory when they are doing challenging tasks. Fidget toys definitely have some merit, but it is important to make sure they are being used appropriately in the classroom."
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  UAB Hospital completes $30M hotel purchase

  The University of Alabama at Birmingham purchased the Courtyard by Marriott. The property is located adjacent to UAB Medicine facilities.
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  UAB Briefs: Kids go mad for science, Fiesta Ball, a visit from MOMIX

  Dance illusionists MOMIX will present their new work, Opus Cactus, in the Sirote Theatre at the Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center from Thursday through Saturday, May 11-13, at 7:30 p.m.
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  New Vaginal Ring As HIV Prevention, Contraceptive

  The trial will take place at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and measure the levels of the two drugs in blood and vaginal fluid of healthy women participants, aged 18-45 years.
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  When blood pressure dips at night, risk for normal-tension glaucoma rises, study says

  When asleep, blood pressure (BP) naturally decreases in most cases, yet intraocular pressure increases. These imbalances have been linked to the progression of glaucoma.
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  Breast cancer survivors walking on thin air in UAB research study

  This novel approach to exercise is being evaluated among obese breast cancer survivors with restricted walking capabilities.
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  Bundled payment initiative doesn't cut readmission in COPD

  The researchers found that the likelihood of receiving regular follow-up, phone calls, pneumococcal and influenza vaccines, home health care, durable medical equipment, and pulmonary rehabilitation was higher for patients in BPCI, and they were more likely to attend pulmonary clinic.
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  I Create Birmingham: J. Heath Mixon

  As the Associate Director of ArtPlay, the community education initiative of UAB’s Alys Stephens Center,  J. Heath Mixon oversees the creation of classes, summer camps, a year-long musical theatre workshop, and the Words Are Our World vocabulary initiative.
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  U.S. panel says no to thyroid cancer screening

  "Overdiagnosis occurs because screening for thyroid cancer often identifies small or slow growing tumors that might never affect a person during their lifetime," explained task force member Seth Landefeld, who is chairman of the department of medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine.
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  UAB researchers among recipients of $11M grant

  The institute awarded the five-year program project grant to UAB Division of Nephrology researchers David Pollock, Jennifer Pollock, Ed Inscho and the University of Utah to study renal control of sodium and salt balance.
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  Many eye care providers may not catch macular degeneration

  Primary care optometrists and ophthalmologists may sometimes fail to detect age-related macular degeneration, the most common cause of vision impairment in the elderly, a recent U.S. study suggests.
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  Canagliflozin improves adipose tissue function in type 2 diabetes

  “We conclude that these collective results suggest that canagliflozin may improve adipose tissue function, increasing adiponectin and decreasing the inflammatory posture of the adipocytes as reflected by a decrease in IL-6, independent of weight loss, and these may reflect favorably on cardiometabolic health.”
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  Hackers can use BRAINWAVES fed into gaming headsets to guess passwords and other private information

  Brainwave-sensing headsets could be used by hackers to steal passwords and other private data, research has found.
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  UAB symposium highlights use of tissue engineering to repair broken hearts

  The third annual Cardiovascular Tissue Engineering Symposium met at the University of Alabama at Birmingham last month, a gathering of noted physicians and scientists who share the goal of creating new tissues and new knowledge that can prevent or repair heart disease and heart attacks.
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  Many eye care providers may not catch macular degeneration

  Based on these exams, none of the participants were diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration by primary care optometrists and ophthalmologists. But when retina specialists took another look, they diagnosed the eye disorder in 25 percent of cases.
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  UAB awarded $11.2 million to study renal control of sodium and salt balance

  Now that it's become appreciated that a high-salt diet may contribute to the rise of many diverse health problems including autoimmune disease, trying to understand how the body regulates salt is extremely important, and that's the work we hope to continue to do with this grant.
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  UAB Surgeon: Number of Gunshot Wound Victims in Birmingham Has Doubled in 4 years

  In Birmingham, homicides have increased 80 percent since 2014, mainly due to gun violence.
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  Multipurpose vaginal ring designed to prevent HIV, pregnancy enters clinical trial

  The study, led by the NIH-funded Microbicide Trials Network, will be conducted at two sites in the U.S. — the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC, a teaching hospital affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh.